Extreme metal force MASS PUNISHMENT unleashes its powerful new video, “Ground Pounder,” a track from their album “Proving Grounds Devastation,” out now via Wormholedeath.
‘Ground Pounder’ is a song about an Infantryman Soldier brainwashed by the military establishment to keep marching on no matter what hell they’re faced with. This music video is the first upon release of the album PROVING GROUNDS DEVASTATION. This video was directed by both MavErick and Marc Petrick.
Mass Punishment is a 4 piece Metalcore/Extreme Metal band based out of New Jersey music designed to inform as well as hit as hard as the facts and events the songs are written about. Current events on a social, political, environmental, and economic scale. Of government corruption and depopulation with a population facing death by design.
AMARANTHE, release today a cover version of ‘Fading Like A Flower’ from Swedish pop rock legends ROXETTE. Re-visioning a classic song in their own forward-thinking synth driven, metallic melody,AMARANTHE demonstrate their ability to inject new life into a classic song.
The band comments:“Being born and raised in Sweden meant that you are subjected to an absolute onslaught of ultra-catchy music, starting with ABBA all the way up to the present day, with some of the world’s greatest song writers and producers hailing from here. One of the most successful acts to ever come out of Sweden is Roxette, and if you were young in the 80’s/90’s, their music was EVERYWHERE. To do a tribute to 1991’s “Fading Like A Flower” is something we half-jokingly talked about during a few years, and when the opportunity arose during “The Catalyst” recordings we jumped at it. Roxette’s melodies and arrangements fit Amaranthe like a hand-tailored glove, and we’re now really excited to share this cover with you all!”
Formed in 2008, AMARANTHE walked their own unique path from the start. With a sound that combined the sharpest, cutting edges of melodic metal, electronic rock and razor-sharp pop, their impact was immediate and undeniable. Kicking off with their self-titled debut in 2011, the Swedes blazed a trail through the European metal scene and beyond, swiftly establishing themselves as a dazzling one-off, not least due to the unprecedented triple vocal attack that paired clean tones with exquisite melodic sensibilities and feral growls. Over the next few years, the sextet steadily grew in stature, releasing a series of praised studio records that jabbed persistently at the boundaries of modern metal.
New York death metal legendsSUFFOCATION have announced another EU/UK headline tour for February and March 2025. Support bands will be rising Canadian deathcore stars,ANGELMAKER and CARCOSA, as well as Nuclear Blast label mates FUMING MOUTH (USA) and MÉLANCOLIA (AUS).
The ticket pre-sale starts on Friday, 18th October 2024, at 11am CEST / 10am UK time.
All confirmed dates below.
SUFFOCATION EMBRACE THE SUFFERING EU/UK TOUR 2025 With Special Guests: ANGELMAKER FUMING MOUTH CARCOSA MÉLANCOLIA 27.02.25 Germany Bochum @ Matrix 28.02.25 UK London @ Electric Brixton 01.03.25 UK Nottingham @ Rescue Rooms 02.03.25 UK Manchester @ Academy 2 03.03.25 UK Glasgow @ Slay 04.03.25 UK Bristol @ Marble Factory 05.03.25 UK Birmingham @ XOYO 06.03.25 UK Bournemouth @ The Old Firestation 07.03.25 France Paris @ Glazart 08.03.25 Switzerland Zurich @ Züri Gmätzlets Fest * 09.03.25 Germany Munich @ Backstage 10.03.25 Italy Bologna @ Locomotiv 11.03.25 Slovenia Ljubljana @ Orto bar 12.03.25 Hungary Budapest @ Barba Negra 13.03.25 Czech Republic Brno @ Fleda 14.03.25 Germany Erfurt @ Central 15.03.25 Germany Heidelberg @ Heidelberg Deathfest * 16.03.25 Austria Vienna @ Szene 17.03.25 Poland Warsaw @ Proxima 18.03.25 Germany Leipzig @ Felsenkeller 19.03.25 Germany Berlin @ Hole44 20.03.25 Germany Hamburg @ Bahnhof Pauli 21.03.25 Sweden Gothenburg @ Filmstudion 22.03.25 Sweden Stockholm @ Kollektivet Livet 23.03.25 Norway Oslo @ John Dee 25.03.25 Finland Helsinki @ Ääniwalli 26.03.25 Finland Tampere @ Olympia 28.03.25 Denmark Copenhagen @ Pumpehuset 29.03.25 The Netherlands Nijmegen @ Doornroosje 30.03.25 Belgium Antwerp @ Samhain Festival **
* No Mélancolia ** Suffocation + Fuming Mouth only
For all fans of Slayer, there’s now a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the band’s iconic history. Slayer has opened their virtual museum “Slaytanic Verses,” which offers exclusive insights and rare memorabilia, giving fans a one-of-a-kind look at their monumental career.
Developed in collaboration with “Definitive Authentic/Inveniem”, this online museum gives you access to parts of Slayer‘s world that were previously hidden from the public. The first collection, “Live Assaults: 1981 Through Today“, showcases rare live memorabilia from over 40 years of band history and will be regularly updated with new exhibits and stories.
If you’re a fan of heavy metal history or want to relive Slayer’s glory days, “Slaytanic Verses” offers a fascinating journey through the milestones of one of the most influential bands in the genre. You can explore the museum here.
Kerry King About A Comprehensive Slayer Comeback
But what about a possible reunion? In an interview with Total Guitar, Slayer guitarist Kerry King addressed fans’ hopes of a full-scale comeback:
“Everyone thinks Slayer are getting back together, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. We’ve been turning down gigs ever since we stopped. This one came and I thought, if we’re ever going to do one, this could be cool because it’s the five-year anniversary of our final tour. We’re not going to record anymore. That final tour was definitely our final tour. This is just a reason to have some fun the guys, play a few shows and then jump back in the coffin…”
While that sounds like a definitive farewell, there’s still hope for fans to catch Slayer at select festival shows – perhaps even in Europe. Until then, “Slaytanic Verses” offers a fitting tribute to the band’s unmatched career, bringing Slayer’s glory days into the digital realm.
The longest tenured all-female rock band and NWOBHM legends GIRLSCHOOL will be embarking on the last leg of their final North American tour started yesterday, October 16, until drawing the final curtain on November 5.
GIRLSCHOOL comments, “We are excited to announce the second and final leg of our “Farewell North America” tour (with Alcatrazz and Lillian Axe). Please come and see us for what will be our final ever North American tour dates. Cheers you lot!”
The trek will see rotating direct support from LILLIAN AXE and ALCATRAZZ.The itinerary can be found below while tickets are now on sale and can be found HERE.
The band is supporting their recent full-length, ‘WTFortyfive?,’ which was released on July 28 of this year by Silver Lining Music. The record is now available on all streaming services and can be ordered HERE.
GIRLSCHOOL North American Dates (w/ Lillian Axe + Alcatrazz):
10/16: Dallas, TX @ Tulips 10/17: Austin, TX @ Lost Well 10/18: Austin, TX @ Lost Well 10/20: Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater 10/22: Boise, ID @ Shrine Social Club 10/24: Portland, OR @ Dante’s 10/25: Seattle, WA @ Substation 10/27: Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre 10/29: San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge 11/01: Salt Lake City, UT @ Aces High 11/03: Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet’s 11/04: Las Vegas, NV @ Sinwave 10/30: Los Angeles, CA @ Belasco 11/05: Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
WTFortyfive? Tracklist:
It Is What It Is
Cold Dark Heart
Bump In The Night
Barmy Army
Invisible Killer
Believing In You
It’s A Mess
Into The Night
Are You Ready?
Up To No Good
Party
Born To Raise Hell (Motörhead Cover)
Girlschool originated in the UK during the New Wave of British Heavy Metal Scene in 1978 and is frequently associated with contemporaries and friends Motörhead. They are the longest running all-female rock band, still active and rocking hard after more than 40 years.
Girlschool enjoyed strong media exposure and commercial success in the U.K. in the early 1980s with three albums of ‘punk-tinged metal’ and a few singles.
In the 1990s and 2000s, they concentrated their efforts on live shows and tours, reducing considerably the production of studio albums. During their long career Girlschool toured all over the world, performing at many of the biggest rock and metal festivals as well as co-headlining with or supporting some of the most important hard rock and heavy metal bands in the genre.
They maintain a worldwide cult following and are considered an inspiration for many succeeding female rock musicians, such as The Donnas.
Original members Kim McAuliffe, Denise (Drench) Dufort are still in the band to this day, original member lead guitarist /vocalist/songwriter Kelly Johnson died of cancer in 2007 and was replaced by lead guitarist/songwriter Jackie (Jax) Chambers in 1999.
On July 28, 2023 at FORTY-FIVE years young, the British hard rock royalty came out swinging with their 14th studio album ‘WTFortyfive?,’ an outstanding and deliciously dirty declaration that age is a number that shows how much real raw attitude you have when it really counts. Kim, Denise, Jackie and Tracey leave the grit under their finger nails and the scuzz on their crusty leather boots as they riff and stomp their way through 12 statements of intent showing major attitude, some great melodies, and a consistent crunch to every guitar.
Lineup: Kim McAuliffe: rhythm guitar, lead and backing vocals Denise Dufort: drums Olivia Airey: bass Jackie Chambers: lead guitar, backing vocals
Decibel Magazine is now pleased to reveal that Swedish prog legends OPETH will be the cover story for the December 2024 issue! The in-depth interview with the band was conducted by journalist Chris Dick while the photos were shot by Ester Segarra. The issue can be found HERE.
OPETH’s 14th studio album, ‘The Last Will & Testament,’ will be released on November 22, 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Records. The band is also now on tour in North America until October 31. The full itinerary can be found below while tickets can be found HERE.
The second single from the record, “§3,” can be heard HERE.
Artwork by Travis Smith with directions from Mikael Åkerfeldt
Opeth’s fourteenth album was written by Åkerfeldt, with lyrics conferred with Klara Rönnqvist Fors (The Heard, ex-Crucified Barbara). ‘The Last Will & Testament’ was co-produced by Åkerfeldt and Stefan Boman (Ghost, The Hellacopters), engineered by Boman, Joe Jones (Killing Joke, Robert Plant), and Opeth, with Boman, Åkerfeldt, and the rest of Opeth mixing at Atlantis and Hammerthorpe Studios in Stockholm. The strings on ‘The Last Will & Testament’ were arranged by Åkerfeldt and returning prog friend Dave Stewart (Egg, Khan) and conducted by Stewart at Angel Studios in London. Not one to miss a beat, visual artist Travis Smith returns to the fold, crafting his 11th cover, a haunting “photograph” reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick’s infamous “Overlook Hotel” photograph. Miles Showell (ABBA, Queen) also revisits mastering and vinyl lacquer cutting at Abbey Road Studios in London.
Åkerfeldt rolls out the red carpet for storied flautist and Jethro Tull main man Ian Anderson. Not only do Anderson’s signature notes fly on “§4” and “§7”, he narrates on “§1”, “§2”, “§4”, and “§7”. Joining Anderson, Europe’s Joey Tempest lends a backing vocal hand on “§2”, while Åkerfeldt’s youngest daughter, Mirjam Åkerfeldt, is the disembodied voice in “§1”.
‘The Last Will & Testament ‘is gripping from start to finish, jaw-dropping inside and out, representing some of Opeth’s finest material to date. Just as Opeth welcomed many into its distressed arms over the years, the Swedes again deliver on the promise that great music always tells a compelling story—this time with growls.
‘The Last Will & Testament’ Tracklist: 01 – §1 [LISTEN] 02 – §2 03 – §3 [LISTEN] 04 – §4 05 – §5 06 – §6 07 – §7 08 – A Story Never Told
In addition, OPETH will be celebrating the release of ‘The Last Will and Testament’ with headlining tours in North America, the UK, and Europe! The full itinerary can be found below while tickets are now on sale HERE.
OPETH North American Tour Dates (w/ TRIBULATION):
10/16: Worcester, MA @ Palladium 10/18: Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre 10/19: Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE 10/20: Washington, DC @ Warner Theatre SOLD OUT 10/22: Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle LOW TICKETS 10/23: New Orleans, LA @ Fillmore New Orleans 10/24: Austin, TX @ Emo’s Austin SOLD OUT 10/25: Dallas, TX @ Majestic Theatre LOW TICKETS 10/27: Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom 10/29: Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren 10/30: Los Angeles, CA @ YouTube Theater LOW TICKETS 10/31: San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield LOW TICKETS
OPETH EU/UK Tour Dates 2025 (w/ Grand Magus):
02/09: Helsinki (FI) @ Ice Hall 02/11: Stockholm (SE) @ Cirkus 02/12: Oslo (NO) @ Sentrum Scene 02/14: Copenhagen (DK) @ DR Koncerthuset 02/15: Hamburg (DE) @ Docks 02/17: Cologne (DE) @ Palladium 02/18: Berlin (DE) @ Tempodrom 02/19: Munich (DE) @ Muffathalle 02/21: Paris (DR) @ L’Olympia 02/22: Amsterdam (NL) @ AFAS Live 02/23: Brussels (BE) @ Ancienne Belgique 02/25: Bristol (UK) @ Bristol Beacon 02/26: London (UK) @ Roundhouse 02/28: Birmingham (UK) @ Symphony Hall 03/01: Manchester (UK) @ Albert Hall 03/02: Glasgow (UK) @ Barrowland
Photo by Terhi Ylimäinen
More than three decades into their career, Opeth have trained their admirers to expect the unexpected. But even by their own standards, the Swedish progressive titans have conjured something extraordinary this time around. The band’s 14th studio exploration, The Last Will & Testament, is the darkest and heaviest record they have made in decades, it is also the most fearlessly progressive. A concept album recounting the reading of one recently deceased man’s will to an audience of his surviving family members, it brims with haunting melodrama, shocking revelations and some of the wildest and most unpredictable music that songwriter/frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt has ever written.
“I have become quite interested in family, and the idea that blood is not always thicker than water,” Åkerfeldt explains. “I became interested in how family members can turn on each other. I saw an interview with this guy whose family had all turned against him, over the inheritance, so I wrote a song about that on the last record. The idea stuck with me, and then along came the TV show Succession, and I loved that series. That was in the back of my head too. It felt like an interesting topic that you could twist and turn a little bit.”
The follow-up to 2019’s widely acclaimed In Cauda Venenum; The Last Will & Testament is set in the shadowy, sepia-stained 1920s. It slowly reveals its secrets like some classic thriller from the distant, cobwebbed past, with each successive song shining more light on the stated machinations of our dead (but definitely not harmless) protagonist. The emotional chaos of the story is perfectly matched by Opeth’s vivid but claustrophobic soundtrack, which artfully winds its way towards a crestfallen but sumptuous finale. Masters of their own idiosyncratic musical domain, Opeth have never sounded more unique.
“I knew I could go a bit overboard and wild with the music, a bit heavier and a bit more metal, maybe, because I felt it would fit the concept, which is dark and kind of complex. You might dabble with the occult in your youth and write songs about Satan, but this felt like I could make a story about real evil, and about human behaviour. It felt like the music for this concept should be on the heavier side of things. It’s a pretty heavy topic.”
Proud adherents to a progressive ethos, Opeth have never repeated themselves, and The Last Will & Testament is every bit as revelatory and adventurous as its 13 predecessors. But one thing is undeniable: Mikael Akerfeldt’s peerless death metal growls are back, for the first time since Watershed in 2008.
“I like to be unfashionable, in a way,” grins Åkerfeldt. “So, when it comes to bringing that kind of death metal vocal back, I wanted it to happen when people had stopped caring… and I guess that’s now! Maybe it’s a bit surprising, but we did some anniversary type shows, and we played lots of old songs, and I just thought that my death metal voice sounded good. There’s also been a little push because of our new drummer, Walt. He’s a death metal guy. Mendez (Opeth bassist) has been a bit of a horse whisperer, too, saying ‘Maybe you should do something heavier this time…’ In the end I just thought, yeah, let’s give it a try.”
The Last Will & Testament is destined to be a milestone in Opeth’s illustrious recorded history. The band’s first out-and-out concept record, it features guest cameos from Jethro Tull legend Ian Anderson and Joey Tempest, frontman with Swedish rock gods Europe. Only one of the album’s eight songs has a title: closing ballad A Story Never Told. The rest are simply labelled as numbered chapters in this slowly unfolding saga of deceit, recrimination and betrayal. Enigmatic, unsettling and immersive, The Last Will & Testament is a turbulent, prog metal tale like no other.
To add to an overwhelming sense that The Last Will & Testament is a landmark record for Opeth, its guest stars are of impeccable and legendary quality. Ian Anderson has been making imaginative and influential music for nearly 60 years, both with Jethro Tull and as a solo artist, and remains one of progressive rock’s most revered figures. He joins Opeth here for the first time, performing as the voice of the album’s chief protagonist and contributing some glorious flurries of flute.
“With Ian, it’s about his voice and just how he is. I decided we should have spoken word, and if that was going to happen, the voice should be Ian’s. He’s like a distinguished gentleman. Everything he says has authority. So, it was just perfect. No one else would have been as good. I felt maybe it was a bit too cliched to ask him to play a flute solo too, but instead, he asked me, ‘Do you need a flute solo?’ and so obviously I said, ‘Yes! Yes, we do!’”
Another legend of the rock world to grace the new Opeth album with his presence and talent is Joey Tempest, singer with Europe.
“On the record, Joey does this call and response with Ian, which was another dream come true for me,” Åkerfeldt says. “I love Europe and I love Joey. We’ve become buddies over the years. So that was a big thing for me. He also knows Ian and had met him a few times. He’s a fan of Tull, so it was cool to have them on the same track. You don’t want to have guests that just for the glitter and glamour. You want someone that’s going to add something to the record, and those two guys were perfect.”
Making his recorded debut alongside Opeth’s long-established line-up of Mikael Åkerfeldt, guitarist Fredrik Åkesson, bassist Martin Mendez and keyboard maestro Joakim Svalberg on The Last Will & Testament is new drummer Waltteri Väyrynen, who joined the band in 2022. Åkerfeldt is eager to commend his new comrade’s immense drumming abilities, while observing that recording drums for the new album was a virtually stress-free process.
“I knew Walt was a great drummer, but I didn’t know how good he was. We’re not crappy musicians in this band. We can play. But we sat there at Rockfield Studios, and he just was doing these insane, technical songs in one take. We were almost recording it in real time! [Laughs] He’s amazing.”
After three decades of dazzling the world, Opeth have made their most daring creative leap yet. The Last Will & Testament is a progressive and dramatic triumph, and yet more proof that expecting the unexpected is the only way forward for fans of Sweden’s finest.
“It’s a restless record for me,” concludes Åkerfeldt. “It’s an explosion of ideas, which I like. It’s a bit shorter and snappier. But I definitely didn’t want to rehash anything. The only thing that has come back is some of those death metal screams, but the mindset is still much more forward looking. In typical Opeth fashion, it’s not a direct record that you understand and that you love or hate right away. It takes time and if you put that time into it, you might like it… or hate it! It feels like it was written on a whim. Which it was, in a way! I hear things on this album and think, where the fuck did that come from?”
Lineup: Mikael Åkerfeldt – Vocals, guitars Fredrik Åkesson – Guitars, backing vocals Martin Mendez – Bass guitar Waltteri Väyrynen – Drums and percussion Joakim Svalberg – Keyboards, backing vocals
Special Guests: Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) – spoken word (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7) // flute (tracks 4, 7) Joey Tempest (Europe) – backing vocals (track 2) Mirjam Åkerfeldt – spoken word (track 1)
All Music and Lyrics written by Mikael Åkerfeldt
Lyrical concept by Mikael Åkerfeldt, dramatic consultation by Klara Rönnqvist Fors
Produced by Mikael Åkerfeldt
Co-produced by Opeth and Stefan Boman
Engineered by Stefan Boman, Joe Jones and Opeth
Mixing by Stefan Boman and Mikael Åkerfeldt and Opeth at Atlantis and Hammerthorpe, Stockholm, Sweden
Mastering and vinyl lacquer cut by Miles Showell at Abbey Road studios, London, UK
Strings conducted by Dave Stewart at Angel Studios, London, UK
Strings arrangement by Mikael Åkerfeldt and Dave Stewart
Drum technicalities by Kit Cunningham
Biography by Dom Lawson
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Kimmo Kuusniemi’s ASA unveil the long-overdue release of "Collective Failure" + first music video for title-track! Check it out and stay tuned for more news! Click image to watch the video
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
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Visionary artist KIMMO KUUSNIEMI's ANCIENT STREAMING ASSEMBLY (ASA) have released “Aurora Nuclearis”, a powerful 12-minute audiovisual experience, dedicated to the Late Keyboardist Esa Kotilainen. - Click image to watch the video
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Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 